Rising Sun
by Razer Athane
Summary: She bit her lip and moved on after reading it, hoping to bury herself further and further into the steely wonderland. -Axel x Xion- DISCONTINUED.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Hey guys! I'm back, for my first multi-chaptered Kingdom Hearts fic FINALLY! Lol. AND IT HAS AXEL! YAY!! I've wanted to do a multi-chaptered story featuring him as a main character for aaaaaaaaaages XD -cough- Anyway. Just one thing though, I have... um... like... two or three other multi-chaptered stories operating at the same time as this one, so don't expect updates very often, okay? I'll try to update when I can but I can't promise anything.

So after Square Enix told us about Xion, I just had to do this. Hell I wasn't sure how but I was going to write a fic about these two. Then when I read that Xion ran away from the Organisation a lot and Axel was often sent to fetch her... well... yeah. I know her full story hasn't been unleashed yet and stuff, so uh... I really doubt this'll completely be canon, considering the sparse facts we have about her, but I'll try my hardest. Basically, this is my interpretation of her life with the Organisation, her relationship with everyone in it (not just Axel, though he'll be the main one) and her fate. But enough my babbling, I hope you enjoy the story ;)

One last thing - I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS. I refuse to put further disclaimers in as it ruins the pace of the story.

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RISING SUN

* * *

_**I.**_

_You're not going to get away from me._

Amidst the callous streets that he called home, Axel looked from right to left. A splash of colour in the primarily monochrome world, though only the tiniest bit. Red amongst the black, bright amongst the dark, just seemingly whacked there without a definitive purpose. His jade eyes, though harsh and cold; glistened, reflecting the heart-shaped moon. They intently searched the area, quickly peeking down every alleyway and behind every structure.

Empty. Nothing. _Nobody._

One of his fists clenched as he growled angrily. He used the other open hand to pull the ridiculous hood back over his head and cover his giveaway hair… though there were still some red locks peeking out from underneath. There was no one here, not a single… _thing. _And how, considering he was in a large, open space, he pondered where to go next. He could go down the lingering passages to his sides, he could continue forth and hope that his prize was still before him, or he could turn around and report his failure to Xemnas –

No no, not going to do _that_.

The threat of being turned into a lesser nobody, especially a _Dusk, _of _all _the Nobody types; was far too… um… what's the word… insulting. And frustrating. To have him, Number VIII, be demoted into a ridiculous, easy-to-kill creature…

He squinted for a moment, seeing some darting movements ahead of him. The corner of his thin lips raised, he took small, mouse-like steps forward, not daring to make a sound. Squinting further, he thought he could make out a cloaked form, who was almost as cautious as he was. The Flurry Of Dancing Flames lowered his head, hoping to hide his hair more so, and to make his prey further oblivious to its hunter.

Said prey began to move slightly faster, eventually breaking out into a dash. So, that was her plan… Get to the entrance to The World That Never Was, and then flee. Maybe jump worlds, Agrabah to Atlantica, or whatever; become a local and hide there until her dying days. Well, he'd be damned if that was going to happen any time soon. His orders were clear from Number I, and he wasn't going to let him down… if only to save his own hide.

With a quick movement of his left hand, a small horde of Assassin Nobodies were summoned. They turned to look at him briefly before heading off in the general direction of the girl. Assassins were always silent, precise and deadly. Sure, they were a lesser form, and would probably not even lay a scratch upon her smooth skin, but nonetheless… he had… some form of faith in them to at least dissuade her until he arrived.

His little group was well out of his sight now, passing through the corridor that lead from this giant room to a smaller one. Squaring his shoulders, Axel began to follow their path at a pace slightly faster than a walk. He was still smirking, just that little bit, he realised, as he attempted to tuck back some of his bangs behind his ears. No such luck.

He was half way across now, and he could already hear the clash of weapons. A single keyblade, slicing through the bodies of its enemies, blocking the fluid strikes to protect its wielder from harm. There were plenty of people who could wield it… But only two in the Organisation, and that was something that nobody quite understood yet. It was still under study, like most things were over in the Castle That Never Was.

Oh, now he could hear her crying out in attack. He was close now, very, very close indeed. He could almost see past the darkness of the corridor. He could almost see inside. Extending both his arms, two chakrams appeared. He grasped them tightly, allowing the flames that arrived with them to simmer down, before entering the room.

He was met with a back encased in a cloak that matched his own. The bottom of it swirled around due to her movements, as the few remaining Assassin Nobodies he had summoned attacked relentlessly. He heard the forcible tearing of clothes, and assumed that one of the attacks had ripped a part of her sleeve. Axel stood there, twirling both large objects around in his hands in a bored fashion, waiting for her to be done. He peered past her for a moment, noticing that past this room was the exit.

Hm. Well, closer than her last attempt.

The final assassin fell to the ground and disappeared in a flash of light. The girl's breathing was hard and severe.

"How many times to I have to tell you Axel? Stop following me!"

"And how many times to I have to tell _you, _Xion…" he began.

Xion span around. Her hood was also up like his, most probably done to achieve the same purpose. Sure, her hair was as black as night, and short, but it was better to be safe than sorry. She took a few steps back, watching her superior member approach, that cocky grin unquestioningly on his face. She could see part of it.

"…that no matter _how _many times you run away…"

The tips of the chakrams were alight with fire once more. She furrowed her eyebrows and swallowed.

"…I _will always _bring you _back _to where you _belong_!"

He lashed out at her mercilessly, hoping to strike her. Anticipating this, Number XIV raised her keyblade quickly, pushing his weapon away once done so, and attempted to attack back. With every slash she made, he aimlessly weaved clear, moving around in a circle, hoping to trap her back the way she came.

In her panic, his plan was slowly working. She felt caged. Xion let out a frustrated cry and lashed out again. This time, her attack was successful, slicing his right shoulder. The assault undoubtedly proved painful, for it caused him to stumble, and there on, hold his shoulder up, though he most probably didn't notice _that _particular detail.

"You think a petty Kingdom Key is enough to take me down?" Axel growled, jade eyes narrowing.

In contrast, her cobalt eyes widened. Her fellow Nobody stretched his arms out again and yelled. Before she knew it, fire had engulfed the area, blocking off her only chance to escape, let alone an attempt to dash towards it from below the lanky man's arms. It seemed that the nearby flames got closer and closer, like they were trying to force her to go back the way she came, to go back all the way to the Castle That Never Was.

_I can't go back there,_ she reminded herself, breathing out all the nerves, now in stance, _I can't._

She moved forward to strike Axel again, however, he had disappeared. Quickly, she caught herself before she fell into the flames, and looked around for that obnoxious fighter. Though he had his hood on, a few of his red bangs would be easy to locate… Though… considering the current state of this chamber –

"Up here, sweetheart."

Xion jumped when a frightful clang echoed. To her left, a chakram now stood. Her opponent had thrown it, clearly from a high angle, in hopes of hurting her, immobilising her, or sending her back the way she came. Swiftly following the throw, she looked up and near the exit, where Number VIII hovered. Just as her eyes locked with his, despite distance, his second chakram, this time alight, was hurled towards her again.

The lethal weapon span, cutting through the air like a knife would to butter. Deciding that all options were forcing her to retreat, the youth turned away, going through the door and running again. Maybe if she got to the alleyways, she could lose him there and try going back to the entrance again later. That'd be the best option.

The Kingdom Key disappeared in her hands as she began to follow her new idea. She sprinted, her pace increasing more so when she heard Axel chuckling a noticeable behind her. His footsteps echoed hers, though heavier and firmer.

"Run all you want Xion, but I'm gonna find you."

She shook her head violently and murmured under her breath, "I can't go back…"

It seemed the comment was heard, "You can't _escape_."

More flaming walls rose, blocking off the rest of her entrances. She sighed feebly, hurriedly summoning her weapon back into her hands, and turned to her foe, keeping a firm grip on the hilt with both hands. She stood a little taller, trying to be brave in the eyes of her hunter, and bit her lip harshly, furrowing her thin, black eyebrows.

The Flurry Of Dancing Flames chuckled again, both chakrams now in his hands. He span the left one around his index finger, looking between it and her, "Have you finally decided to stop running and give up, kid? Accepted your fate yet? _Orrrrrrrrrrr,_ do I still have to make you submit and drag you back to the Castle That Never Was by your hair?"

She growled, lashing out in fury, only to have the blade parried by the back of his hand.

"Pathetic, Xion. You can do better than that."

The razor sharp edge of his chakram tore across her right forearm. She whimpered in retaliation, due to the stinging nature of the wound, and dropped the keyblade reflexively, the weapon clashing onto the brick ground. It disappeared thereafter, and its wielder staggered back, the action having her hood slump off her head. Blinking away the tears of pain, she breathed in and out firmly, trying to get a grip of herself, saying over and over that it was just a stupid cut.

Axel cocked his head to the side, watching for a moment, before having both chakrams disappear, arms now laying limp by his sides. The hunter had his prey standing before him, and said prey was now wounded and shaking. The smirk that had been so happily branded on his face for the entire battle finally slipped off, though in its place was a characteristic scowl, accompanied by furrowed eyebrows and narrowed eyes.

There was unease, fear and acceptance in Xion's eyes. It seemed she acknowledged her fate, for now.

With an iron-like grip that was strong enough to bruise, Number VIII seized the girl's forearm, forcefully spinning her around, before shoving her forward harshly, the deed almost having her trip over. Time to go back. His mission was accomplished. The threat of being turned into a Dusk Nobody was banished, for now, "Move it, kid."


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Well that was a pleasing response! Thanks for the comments guys, I really appreciate them :D I'm surprised that I've posted this _now _as opposed to later, to be honest with you o.o So much for an 'infrequent' update, eh? Lol.

So as time goes on we learn more information about Xion. And that rhymed. XD So I'm putting the new information in throughout the story. Not immediately though. I mean like… it's confirmed now that Axel, Roxas and Xion are friends and stuff. And I haven't put that in. _Yet. _;) Mwahahaha. I r t3h eebilz. Any who, on with the story!

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_**II.**_

The squealing door was violently closed, the very force of it rattling the nearby bars. A vicious, angry glare through narrowed eyes was sent towards the one imprisoned, the very expression being along the lines of 'I _dare _you to try again'. The prisoner looked to the captor, the meaning underneath the timid stare almost acting like a promise, like a rise to the challenge.

Xion watched as Axel turned away, going down the corridor, vanishing from sight. Her frail hands held onto the bars tightly, as though they were the only things that were going to keep her sane. She exhaled deeply and rested her forehead against the metal, shivering at the cold touch. She bit her lip, her mind working a mile a minute, trying to come up with another way to escape. She was sure that Number I had reinforced the wall this time.

Footsteps soon sounded. They were swift and calm, like the gentle flow of water. She lifted her head and watched through cobalt eyes as her guard for the next couple of hours entered, one hand on his hip, the other idly hovering by his side, tapping his fingers against his side for no reason at all. She watched quietly as he stood three feet away from her, looking down on her with an expression that was akin to pity.

"In here again, huh?" he asked, lifting a hand to readjust his blonde hair.

She said nothing and scowled at him. She hated everyone in this damn Organisation, for what they put her through, the chaos, the turmoil, the insanity, the torment… All of it. Some tried to befriend her originally, such as Axel and Number XIII, but they eventually gave up. Axel wasn't normally as angry as he had been today when chasing her, but regardless…

"Hm, I guess you'll have to stop trying to run away," her guard said in a childish manner, squatting down on his knees. He had a childish smile on his face, one full of innocence, yet Xion knew that behind this mask, this man was as lethal as the others he picked on and feared, "It's not so bad here, y'know! We're not _all_ that bad. Just accept your fate. You belong here, with us. This is your home, this is you _new, real _home."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Stop trying to chase your past, because you won't find it."

"_I will _find my past, Demyx. Just you watch me."

Demyx laughed, placing his hands on his knees. He tilted his head slightly and shook it, that goofy smile still on his face, "Good luck with that Xion, because you're never gonna get out of here. You'll be here _forever, _friend! You're never going to set foot outside The World That Never Was _freely_… On missions sure, but you're _always _supervised, remember? Number I's orders. Anyway. Be a good girl and just sit there until we need you next."

She had long faded out of listening, her mind once again focusing on a possible means of escape. She could attack Number IX now and knock him out cold, then maybe find a way to break these bars. They seemed pretty weak at the moment. But where was she going to do that? How was she going to get time to do that? It seemed impossible…

With a sigh, Xion crawled away into the corner and curled up, pressing her legs to her chest, trying to fade away further from the dull howling of the wind outside, Demyx's quiet (yet noticeable) singing (as well as his frequent mutterings of 'where's the other guard'), and her own inner turmoil.

* * *

Smoke slowly slipped from his clenched fists, which were dangling helplessly by his sides. Axel's footsteps were rigid and robotic, going slowly down the corridor to the meeting room. He passed Luxord earlier, who snickered at his current frustration, and was about to taunt him, his mouth opening. He kindly responded, though, with a deathly glare, promptly putting his in place. He encountered Saix as well, who simply smirked and did nothing more.

Soon enough, he heard a familiar voice and a medium-paced jog, "Axel!"

Despite knowing that the origin of the voice was from his best friend, he did not hinder his pace. His shoulders were hunched, his body was stiff, and his breathing was harsh. It annoyed him that he was always the one sent out to capture her. Why can't someone else do the damn job? Still, nothing annoyed him more than the fact that she was _still trying _to get away. She had been trying for so, so long… Why couldn't she just give up?

Why did she always push people away?

"Axel!" Roxas was now by his side, lightly patting him on his left shoulder, "I've been calling you for ages."

"Hm."

"Whoa, back up! Where's the fire?" he grinned slightly, noticing the smoke rising from his friend's hands.

"I'm not in the mood for your puns today."

There was silence as they both continued to walk. Eventually, Roxas broke it, "Did she…?"

He did not need to finish the sentence, for Number VIII knew what the rest of it was, "She tried again but I caught her. She's getting closer and closer to the exit, Rox. I dunno what's gonna happen anymore. I can't keep this up. She's going to escape when we least expect it. It'd be much easier if she just gave up and accepted her damn fate."

They came to the meeting room. Soon enough, the door was opened a crack, and a voice from inside slithered out, "Enter."

The Flurry Of Dancing Flames left his companion behind and strolled in, closing the door harshly behind him. The room was a glaring, harsh white, and as always, it almost blinded him upon entry. He blinked several times, getting his eyes to adjust, before lifting his head. After they adjusted, they landed upon Number I, who was poised in his chair, looking down at him with dissatisfaction, though there was a hint of content upon his dark features.

"Axel."

He bowed stiffly and quickly, though in no means was it truly in respect, "Xemnas."

The Superior's lips curved into a slight smirk. His yellow eyes remained fixed upon the Nobody as he hissed, "Sit."

He chewed the inside of his mouth and did as he was asked, teleporting to his own white throne, which conveniently had 'VIII' inscribed at the top. Now lazily slouched in his seat, he looked back up towards Number I, his jade eyes partially narrowing. He noticed that he was still gazing at the door, where he had entered, and had not looked to him at all. No matter.

Silence held them both for a long time, before the man's deep voice ricocheted throughout the room, "Well done."

"It's getting harder and harder to catch her, Xemnas," he growled, resting his heavy head in his hand. He ran his fingers through his red hair in frustration and boredom, "I can't do this by myself anymore. One guard isn't enough, Xion needs at least two, maybe three. That cell needs to be reinforced with… I don't know, something so strong she can't cleave it in half. And even then, if she breaks out again, I _need _help."

"You have your loyal legion of assassins," Xemnas hummed, still staring at the door, as though he was trying to see through it. He paused briefly before continuing on, still smirking, "Are they not help enough for you?"

He twitched, "They're fine, but what I mean is I'll need another Organisation Member. She almost got out this time."

"Maybe you are not doing your job properly."

"Excuse me!?" Axel bellowed, glaring at the Superior. He had finally snapped. His hands jumped to the end of the chair's arm rests, clenching the edges of them with all of his might, just to prevent the urge to shoot him with a couple of flames. That would've been _really _nice right about now, "_I'm _not doing _my _job properly?! I've brought her back _every single time, just _like you've _fucking_ asked!"

"_Do not _raise _your_ voice at _me_, Flurry Of Dancing Flames!" Xemnas roared. Within an instant, he had teleported before the angry Nobody, holding a glowing, red blade to his throat. His yellow eyes stared deep into the jade ones opposite him. Two different colours, two different people, both equally infuriated, "May I remind you that _you_ are a _mere_ _pawn _to _my_ _game_, and I can dispose of you at any time I wish! _I _am the Superior Nobody, _I _am Number I, _I am your Master!"_

Axel said nothing. He silently boiled, looking straight back at the Superior with a hardened scowl and narrowed eyes. It appeared as though that his face had gone pale, too. He was clearly reigning in all of his desire to throw the man to the floor, or punch him, or kick him, or scald him, or cut him – _any _form of physical abuse. His nostrils flared as he breathed in and out evenly and hardly.

"Don't you have anything to say, _fool_?"

His eyes narrowed further into slits.

Xemnas growled angrily. He pressed the blade harder against his throat, "Do not treat me with such disrespect, Number _VIII._"

He still said nothing. Before long, the front of his cloak was grabbed, and with unusual strength, he was tossed to the floor, his body colliding with the white ground harshly. Grunting, Axel stood up hurriedly, looking up at where Number I was. He was still poised in mid air, the blade still pointing where his throat previously was, though his left hand was behind him an extended, having thrown his body.

Within the blink of an eye, he had suddenly disappeared, and was standing before him once more, blade pointed at his throat. A cunning smirk bestowed upon his features. It was as though all former anger had vanished, though in actual fact, it just had been cleverly disguised, "I expect you to continue on with your duties until her will to break free has been subdued. You will continue doing this _alone _with only your Assassin Nobodies."

"Yes, sir," he hissed.

"Dismissed."

Both turned away from one another, one teleporting to his former seat, the other heading for the exit. As Axel put a hand on the doorknob again, he felt it smoulder beneath his palm. He scowled and twisted it, about to open it wide.

"Oh, and Axel?"

"What?" he snapped irritably, almost crushing the melting doorknob in his hand.

Xemnas smirked, leaning back in his seat. He gestured towards the door and spoke slyly, "Tell Number XIII that if he ever eavesdrops outside my door again, I will make him wish that he had never been created in the first place."

"Yes, sir."

With that said and done, the Flurry Of Dancing Flames left the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

* * *

_What am I looking for?_

Hours had slid by since she had been brought here once more. Xion looked out to the heart-shaped moon in comfort, holding onto the bars of the window. Demyx had long fallen asleep on the floor, like a drunken youth. The other guard, Xaldin, was still awake and monitoring her every move carefully. His eyes did not dare leave her form.

_I'm looking for my past, I know that… But why do I feel so compelled to do so?_

Because she didn't want to spend the rest of her Nobody life not knowing. But so what? Roxas wanted to know about his past life too, though he didn't exactly try to break out and find out for himself. She just… felt so caged here. She felt like that she would rot in here and die. But she felt that she was so much more capable of… many different things.

_Why am I drawn to it? I do not question every fact, I just want to know… want to know…_

Who she really was, because she certainly didn't feel right as 'Xion'. She never felt whole, despite lacking a 'heart' as everyone said. She felt like she was a part of something bigger, be it for the good of the worlds, or the bad. Like there was a destiny to fill out, like there was a card yet to be put on the table, a flame yet to be lit, a tsunami yet to rise, a book yet to be read, a breeze yet to erupt into a gale…

…An image yet to be sketched.

She could go on with the imagery.

_It feels like I'm suffocating in here without these memories… _

She scowled, tightening her grip on the bars.

_Why can the others remember their past lives, but Roxas and I can't? Why could Zexion remember his past life's name? Why could Marluxia remember the smallest, most ridiculous facts about his old 'family'? Why can Axel recite the very first time he played with a Bunsen burner at school, down to the smallest detail where his hair caught fire? _

Robbed.

_Where are my sunny skies? Where are my beautiful ocean waters? Where are my vast landscapes?  
_

Robbed.

_Where are _my _memories?!_

Xion slammed her fist into the wall and sighed helplessly.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: What's this? A quick update? Hehe, yup. I wrote this chapter right after the last one, and I was going to leave it for a bit but… ya know. Anyway, thanks for your comments guys, I appreciate that you're enjoying the story. To be honest I don't like Xion that much, but an author shouldn't be restricted to write _just _about the characters that we enjoy :) Oh, and to the anonymous review called _eeew, _who 'reviewed', I have one thing to say: _lol.

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_**III.**_

The month passed like a year.

Xion fiddled helplessly with her hands, looking at her feet, feeling utterly alone. She was being spoken to, but dared not to speak in return to neither Roxas or Demyx, who were sitting by her cage, playing a game of cards. They had taken the spare deck from Luxord when he wasn't looking, and had even dealt a hand of 'snap' for her, slipping it in the cage. But as always, she remained in the back corner, keeping to herself.

Why did they bother?

"SNAP!"

"_Dammit!_"

Demyx grinned, taking the cards out from underneath his hands. He re-shuffled them into his hand and started the whole process over again. He leant back and chuckled, "You're so bad at this game Roxas, honestly. I think you should get Luxord to give you a lesson in the art of _winning. _Because, you know, you're going to lose pretty damn soon."

Number XIII growled under his breath, placing another card on top of it, his foe following the action after, "Shut up shut up shut up!" Stressed, he changed his sitting position again. Instead of sitting on his knees, he shifted into a cross-legged stance, though still remained hunched over, observing the piling cards angrily, "Xion, would you please come and help me kick this guy's butt?" No response, as always, "…This isn't fair!"

"Face it, no one but Luxord can kick my butt," the Melodious Nocturne chimed.

He suddenly jumped and yelped, dropping his cards everywhere, and scattering the pile between the two of them. Both of his hands shot to his rear, pressing against the stinging sensation. He whimpered in frustration and pain, and Roxas burst out laughing, putting his cards down. Tears of mirth soon began to leak from his eyes.

"Hey, guess what? I'm not Luxord, and I just kicked your butt."

The victim hurriedly looked behind him, his aqua eyes settling on a taller Nobody, who walked by them thereafter, going to lean against the wall nearby. Demyx unhappily pouted at the passing person, throwing a fist up and shaking it venomously, "Axel! That hurt! And I meant in _card games, _not as in _seriously launching_ their boot into my ass!"

"I'm sure," he replied with cynical sarcasm, hands now resting behind his head. His jade eyes moved past the two blondes and over towards their prisoner. He squinted, noticing that she was covering her mouth and giggling a little. He smirked slightly, "Well well well, look at that. Xion has an expression aside from 'blank'. Nice to know you have a sense of humour, sweetheart."

Her eyes widened slightly. She looked down to her feet once more, hiding the colour that was coming to her pale face. Her fingers drumming on the end of the boots in the hope of distracting herself from the embarrassment, "Well… it _was_ amusing. Demyx's face was completely… priceless. And it was a clever way to humiliate him."

"Thanks," the victim murmured angrily and acerbically, also starting to blush due to his mortification.

The Key Of Destiny smiled and spoke gently, "Xion, are you sure you don't want to play? We're going to deal a new hand, seeing as _idiot _here…" he gestured to Axel, "decided to screw up our current game by spooking this _whack job_," and to accompany 'whack job', he pointed at Number IX, who again growled under his breath and frowned.

_Why do the three of you continue to bother? _She thought to herself, looking up at them. Her cobalt eyes travelled over them, observing their features individually. Roxas had a nice, soft smile on his face, indicating that he was being sincere and serious. Demyx, aside from being frustrated at his demise in both the card game and in being physically attacked, was also grinning goofily. Axel was slightly smirking, though she couldn't tell if was a good one or not.

It was always these three that tried to become her friend. Upon her 'arrival' in The World That Never Was, Roxas had been there from the start, trying to become her friend. He considered her a friend, though she did not consider him one in the slightest. 'Acquaintance', perhaps, or 'if-everyone's-about-to-kill-me-and-I-need-an-ally-then-that-ally-shall-be-Roxas'… but as a true friend, no. From these three – scrap that. Out of _everyone _in the Organisation, alive or dead, she trusted him the most.

Demyx was originally distant when it came to her, though as time went on, he started to talk to her (or at least try to). He had been brought to her cell by Roxas after a long time of being convinced, and soon enough, he was as comfortable around her as he was around his own friends. This fact was absurd to her – why should he 'feel' such a thing?

Axel was the one who always caught her when she tried to escape, so there was always that underlying dislike for him, though he was _not _the one who originally found her (that person being Lexaeus, who had been long destroyed in Castle Oblivion. She was thrilled when she heard the news). He would speak to her occasionally, trying to find out some stuff about her, and in turn, giving her a piece of information about himself. He wasn't trying very hard, but he was slowly attempting to become her friend too.

There was something unsettling, yet eager and welcoming, about the look in his eyes.

She bit her bottom lip harshly, crawling across to the bars, and nodded slightly, "Alright, but just this once."

The Melodious Nocturne whooped in joyous victory and gave a 'thumbs up' gesture to Roxas, "Way to go, Roxy!"

"Please don't call me that…" he nicely growled, shuffling the deck.

He grinned cheekily, then turned to Number VIII, who was still leaning against the wall, "You gonna play or what?"

"I learnt my lesson last time, so I'm sitting this one out," Axel stated, shuffling against the wall to get into a better position, "And anyway, you need someone on look out. What's going to happen if someone Xaldin bursts in and sees us entertaining our friend here? The result won't exactly be pretty. Both of you might end up borrowing some of Xigbar's eye patches."

"He's gonna poke our eyes out with his spears?!" Demyx cried, "Why!?"

Axel twitched and raised his voice a little, "He _might, _Demyx! _Might! _There's a difference!"

Silence took hold for a good ten minutes, aside from 'snap' and 'dammit' or 'hmm' where necessary. Xion looked amongst them all and studied their faces once again. Demyx appeared to be quite happy, though slightly frustrated due to being treated like a child (curtesy of Axel). Roxas was drumming his fingers on his deck and was biting his lip. The Flurry Of Dancing Flames was merely watching them all, and occasionally looking from side to side in case someone unwanted entered.

Two voices soon began to climb up through the hallway. Jade eyes quickly fixed on her, silently notifying her that these two would definitely mind what was going on. Moving quickly, Number XIV gave her remaining hand to Demyx (ignoring the annoyed, bewildered look on Roxas' face) and crawled back into the corner, back her former position.

"SNAP!"

"For crying out loud, Dem!"

The other two Organisation Members finally came in sight. Xigbar stopped in his tracks and looked around the place, tilting his head back slightly, hands in his pockets. Saix also stopped, fierce, yellow eyes glaring at them all. He hissed calmly, "Number VIII, Number IX, Number XIII…" When the three of them looked at him and his accomplice, he spoke once more, "…_Why_ did you decide to hold a game of cards in the dungeon?"

"Ummmm…" Roxas began, eventually clearing his throat and speaking, "Well Demyx and I are on duty to guard Xion… and then Axel came down with these cards… He suggested we take a break while he watches Number XIV, and play upstairs… B-but it's hot up there, so we stayed down here where it's nice and cool."

He looked to Xigbar, an eyebrow raised. His accomplice spoke before he had the chance to, "Whatever dudes. I'll never figure you three out. Anyway, the Heartless have attacked Twilight Town. Xemnas wants us to follow them, eliminate them, collect their hearts and bring them back. Y'know, standard procedures, the usual stuff."

Saix interjected smoothly, "He has assigned me to lead the unit. Those who must participate in the exercise include Numbers VIII, IX, X, XIII and XVI… Axel, Demyx, Luxord, Roxas and _Xion,_" he noticed their eyes widening slightly in surprise, and the Melodious Nocturne even cast a small glance at her, "Axel has been assigned to guard her and ensure she does not escape. Numbers I, II and III will remain behind and guard the Castle. You are to all rally at the entrance in ten minutes."

Xigbar fished through his pocket and found a set of keys. As he and Saix walked by, he swiftly tossed them into Axel's hands, "Here's the key to her cell. Just leave it in the lock and I'll come by and pick it up later. Good luck, guys."

Once the two superior members had left the area, Demyx jumped up and clapped his hands together happily, "An excuse to get out of this stupid Castle! Come on guys, let's go and harvest more hearts. We'll be whole again in no time."

Roxas rolled his eyes as his friend speedily strolled out of the room. He gathered up all of the cards, stood and began to head in the same direction as him, mentally reminding himself to return this deck of cards to Luxord.

Xion watched as they left and slowly began to stand, her hands pressed against the cold wall firmly, using it as a guide. Her legs had pins and needles in them, and it was very uncomfortable. She looked up briefly to her fellow Organisation Member as he moved to unlock the door. Hm, well, considering she was on a mission, then maybe –

"Out you get," he remarked a tad friendlily.

She nodded slightly, now completely standing, her cobalt eyes gazing idly at the floor. She pushed herself off the wall, no longer requiring it, and began to walk towards the door in medium strides. Pins and needles still ran up and down her legs, the feeling not only being awkward but it also proved to be a hindrance.

The numbness had her legs give way from underneath her. With a surprised and startled cry, she reached for the closest thing to her, hoping to stabilise herself and stop her from completely falling over. Her hand found something, and she gripped it tightly, her feet finding themselves again, _Damn blood circulation…_

She looked up for a moment and then blinked rapidly, realising that what had stopped her fall was none other than Axel. Embarrassed by her display, she stood up straight and let go of his black clothing. She further found that there was a pain in her upper arm, and she looked to see that he had grabbed her before she fell entirely.

"Sorry," Xion muttered nervously.

"Just be more careful next time," he murmured, his grip letting up a little, pulling her down the corridor.

* * *

Under Saix's orders, they arrived in Twilight Town via a single dark portal. They had come out at the Tram Common area, in the very middle of the battle. The Nobodies that were here (seeing as this was practically the spawning ground for the lesser ones) were fighting a bloody battle, and it seemed that renewed hope had struck their very soul when they saw their masters arrive to aid them.

No one could say the same for the Heartless.

The six landed on the ground. Number VII smirked sinisterly and laughed bitterly, casting his free hand outward, ordering the other five to attack, "My minions, go! Do not let the Heartless past this point! They are nothing but _weak _creatures! They will_ not _take over our territory, they will _not_ progress any further, they will _not win this war_!"

They spread to the thickest parts of Heartless, hoping to break them up into smaller, easier-to-manage sections. Shadows, Darkballs, Wyverns – they were all there in different shapes, sizes, strengths and speeds. The black sea clashed against the white once more, swarming around them, trying to dispatch of them and take Twilight Town for themselves. More hearts to harvest.

A row of Blue Rhapsodies faded away under Axel's flaming chakram. He turned away, using the other to saw through a few Soldiers, lobbing off their top halves aimlessly in an effort to cover his back. He jumped into the air, catching the returning weapon, and lit them both alight again, hurling them into the centre of his little group.

They landed straight into the bodies of a Shadow and a Darkball, the two of them falling to the ground like aging statues. With a couple of quick hand gestures, the flames erupted more so, taking down more Heartless, like a bomb that had just gone off. Scores of his enemies, both pure and with an emblem, burned viciously. Shrieks and screams soared above the smoke.

He landed back on his feet, summoning both chakrams back into his hands. He span around in a small circle, the bottom of his clothing following after him, and removed the horde that had descended upon him. As always, they fell quickly, fading into oblivion. He smirked, the corner of his lip slightly raised, as he did what he did best.

Number VIII raised his head, seeing three more Soldiers coming down on him, as though they had leapt off a roof. With a quick slice, their heads were removed. The sky was an eerie orangey-pink colour, and the rising cherry-coloured, glowing hearts only added to the peculiar feeling. The scene was… haunting.

A claw swiped at him. Looking back down in disgust, he kicked away the nearby Shadow and span around in a few circles once more. Slouching forward and twirling one of his weapons idly in his hands, he looked to his left, seeing that Xion was seemingly having trouble with a larger Heartless named Defender. The keyblade that she wielded was having no effect on its large shield, and she was backed up into a corner.

He hurled the chakram in his left hand. It cut through the air and headed straight towards the back of the Defender, cutting into its skin like a circular saw. The beast reeled in agony. Axel kept his hand out, seemingly controlling his weapon, and failed to notice peeping cobalt eyes. With the flick of his wrist, the Heartless was surrounded by a brief pillar of fire, and, after a few moments of screaming, fell to the ground – limp, charred and lifeless.

With a gurgled cry, the Flurry Of Dancing Flames lurched forward, feeling something large slice up his back. He turned quickly, ducking underneath horizontal strike, and was marvelled to see an Invisible at the scene. Hadn't they died out yet? Last he heard, they had perished underneath the Keyblade Master's distinguishable weapon.

The second chakram appeared in his hand once again, just in time to block a third vertical strike. The Nobody shoved the sword back, the very weight of it almost taking all of his energy to move. He stepped to the side thereafter, slicing one of his weapons up the Invisible's side, and then leaving it in there. Thinking quickly, he moved further to the side, still holding onto the protruding item, and thrust the other chakram deep into the torso.

A little gleam from the metal edge confirmed that it had gone all the way through.

Taking no chances however, he lifted one chakram up, and the other sideways, effectively cutting his opponent into three parts. The remnants fell to a heap on the ground before his boots, and then vanished, the core element of the beast rising to join the countless others.

Looking around again, Axel realised that a majority of the Heartless were disappearing or retreating. The Nobodies he had come to rescue were now clearly winning the battle, pouring over the scene like white paint on black cardboard. Demyx's little group were handling well, though he was amused that he had dropped his sitar twice, _consecutively, _within the few moments he had been looking at him. Silly thing.

Roxas was doing the best out of everyone. His two keyblades had practically _demolished _the group he had chosen. Number XIII was lazily looking around as well, surveying the others. When his sea blue eyes locked with Axel's jade ones, he gave him a friendly and cheesy thumbs-up, before looking elsewhere, a content smile on his face.

Luxord was not doing so well. He had resorted to clobbering a couple of Heartless with his fists as opposed to turning them into dice and cards, like he normally would, because they were so close to him. His own group of Nobodies, though, appeared to be turning the tides quite easily, so it wouldn't be long before that area was deemed safe and Heartless-free.

As always, Saix was cleaving up his group like a mad man. The ferocious glare in his yellow eyes sent chills down Number VIII's spine, and he had to turn away as he wielded his weapon and brought it crashing down on a trio of Barrel Spiders. That didn't silence the explosion, though, nor the whimpers of other Heartless and the pleased cackle from the current leader of this operation.

Lastly, he looked towards where Xion was previously. The battle was more towards the Nobodies there, as the Heartless were easily being overwhelmed. However, he didn't see the girl anywhere. Squinting, he searched the area quickly for a trace of her black hair or her black clothing, but to no avail. She wasn't there at all.

She was gone.

…_Shit._

Hastily, he made his chakrams disappear and ran off to the nearby exit, hoping that that was the path she had taken to escape. The call of his name by Roxas went unheard, for all he could hear was his own ragged breathing, his own mental yelling and cursing, and listing all of the possible Nobodies that he could be turned into.

* * *

_Just keep going, just keep going. _

Xion pressed through the woods, moving various branches and leaves out of the way. She had long left the battle behind, when no one was looking, and made the dash to freedom, at last. At long last, she was _well _clear of those bumbling idiots and sadistic fools. She could do whatever she damn well pleased.

A twig snapped underneath her foot, making her jump slightly. Furrowing her thin eyebrows, she continued pushing through the area aimlessly, still on the high of having escaped her captors at long last. The adrenalin was still rushing through her body, urging her onward. She knew that despite her escape, she would be sought out, but God, the feeling of freedom!

Her cobalt eyes landed on two large gates. One appeared to be slightly open, and beyond it was an old mansion. Too tired to argue, she pushed the gate open and closed it quietly behind her, trekking down the pathway. She came to the closed double doors and swallowed, placing her small hand on the doorknob. Giving it a little twist, she discovered it was open, and entered quietly with feather-light footsteps.

The creak in the floorboards made her jump once more, albeit not as much as the twig had earlier. Surveying the large, open area, she wondered where she was going to stay. This place was enormous, surely there would be a bedroom for her to remain in until the initial heat died down. After that, she could leave Twilight Town.

Going up the stairs, she had another quick look around, before she noticed a slightly ajar door. Number XIV crept towards it silently and gently placed a hand on the aging wood. With a light push, it opened a little more, enough to stick her head in and check out the area.

The room was entirely white, and there were drawings pinned up on the walls, littered on the floor, and on the white table. The childish scribbles almost always told a tale. Nearby, she spotted one of two boys that she had known for a while, albeit not in realistic detail – Roxas and Axel, standing side by side.

Her eyes widened slightly, _What the…?_

"Do you like them?"

Her head snapped towards a girl sitting in a white chair. She appeared to be engrossed in her sketch pad, though not enough to be completely unaware of the new presence. Xion said nothing and took a slight step back, ready to make a run for it. Of course someone would be living in this mansion. Twilight Town was large. Why didn't she think properly?

"Where are you going?" the girl asked, moving her blonde hair out of the way, flicking it over her shoulder. Her skin was milky white, just like her own, and she wore a white dress with white sandals. Her eyes, from what could be made out of them at the moment, appeared to be the colour of the sky, "Don't leave just yet."

Again, the Nobody said nothing, confused.

"If you leave now, Axel will find you," she remarked, looking up, tilting her head, "He's close by and is searching hard."

"How did you know about him?" she growled, blinking.

"I know a lot more than you think, Xion," she smiled, "I've been waiting for you."

"Who are you?" this girl was starting to creep her out.

"Naminé."


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Shock horror, an update! I'm going to try and update this story more and more, as ideas are attacking me left right and centre. In addition, I'm kinda stuck on my other fics, which is a shame. So expect another update some time soon! Again, thanks for your support guys, I truly appreciate it :)

* * *

_**IV.**_

"Naminé?"

She smiled and waved, her black crayon moving along with the gesture. After a few moments, she placed her hands back on the desk before her. Baby blue eyes bore up into the girl opposite her, and for a moment, Xion felt safe.

Such a concept had her stop and think. She cannot 'feel'. She does not have a heart. Any 'feelings' she has are an illusion of a Nobody's old life. Almost everyone in the Organisation fell for it every so often. They still thought they were like they used to be in their old life – _normal. _However, with things the way they are, whilst they're still alive, they cannot 'feel'. She inwardly sighed and tried to suppress such thinking. And anyway, why would she feel safe with such a stranger?

She looked away from Naminé and walked towards the curtains. As the solitary black figure in a pure white room, she felt out of place. Now at the window, Number XIV silently looked out, indeed seeing a mass of red hair coming out of the forest, rapidly looking around and calling her name. Axel was panicking, and searching hard.

Stepping away, Xion swallowed.

"He won't find you here," Naminé said, "He's a good fighter and all, but he's not _that _smart."

"How would you know?" she asked, clenching her fists, "You've never met him."

"Oh, but I _have _met him. I've met _all _of them. Xemnas, Xigbar, Xaldin, Vexen, Lexaeus, Zexion, Saix, Axel, Demyx, Luxord, Marluxia, Larxene, and Roxas…" her eyebrows raised slightly with amusement as Xion stared, eyes wide open, "I was their little prisoner at Castle Oblivion, manipulating the memories of the Keyblade Master and those associated with him for their personal gain. Well, at least, for Marluxia and those who were trying to rebel… Axel was a part of that group. But he was a double agent.

"They used to call me a 'witch', simply because of my powers," she looked back down to her current drawing and resumed colouring in the black cloak of her subject, "I liked to see myself as a good one, at least. It's not like I had a choice. At least I'm not trapped by them anymore, and I now _have _choices. If I had the choice to begin with, I wouldn't have ruined Sora's memories like that. I wouldn't have placed myself in the shadow of another more… worthy. But really, Xion, we're both just shadows of her. At least now I'm doing the right thing and rethreading Sora's memories, putting her back where she belongs."

"Shadows of… who?"

Naminé merely smiled, "Of our old self. Of our Somebody."

"That doesn't answer my question," Xion growled lowly, her cobalt eyes narrowing.

"I cannot say."

Number XIV watched as her blonde hair fell over her shoulder. She sat up straighter and placed her crayon down. Satisfied, she picked up her sketchbook and observed the image one last time, before turning it towards Xion, still all smiles. The image she had been working on for a fair while was finally complete. She had been drawing this image during her 'breaks' – when she had to stop and take a breather from fixing Sora's memories.

It was a picture of three girls, all holding hands. It briefly reminded the Organisation member of that image of Roxas and that brown-haired boy on the wall, as though it had been fashioned for the same purpose and in the same way. On one side was the artist, a gentle smile on her face. On the other was Xion herself, placid yet focused. In the centre was a girl with red hair, and she was firmly holding onto the hands of the other two girls.

"She's in the middle here, you see," Naminé remarked, pointing, "That's _our _Somebody."

"You speak as though I have some worth," Xion said dejectedly, hiding her emoti -… No. She has none. They don't exist anymore. She _needed _to stop thinking as though she did have feelings, "You speak as though we're related. And who are you to say that that person is… 'our' Somebody? You look like an ordinary girl, or _witch _rather, to me."

Naminé chuckled slightly and placed the sketchbook down once more, "You look normal to me, too. No one can really tell the difference between a normal person and a humanoid Nobody. You're a Nobody, yet you can pass for a real little girl, like the Olette child who lives in Twilight Town. And like you, I'm a Nobody as well. We're the Nobodies of this girl."

"I-I don't have time for this."

"For this, you have all the time in the world."

The witch stood to her feet and walked over to the intruder, her hands behind her back. Xion remained motionless and watched, furrowing her thin, black eyebrows. The closer Naminé came, the more it was made apparent to her that they looked quite similar. Maybe even identical. The same white skin, the same blue eyes, the same face.

"Your true name. Do you remember it?"

"Xion. It's Xion."

"No, it's not."

"I _know _my own name!"

Naminé shrugged and walked away. She walked towards the window, and rested her hand against the wall, observing the scene outside of the mansion. Axel had long gone, but in his place were Demyx and Roxas. Demyx was calling Xion's name, as well as Axel's, and looked around rapidly. Roxas was also searching, but stopped to catch his breath. He lifted his head for a moment and looked towards the lightly billowing curtains, as though he could see her.

"Listen to me, Xion," she began, noticing Numbers IX and XIII turn to leave, "The Somebody… You have to find her. She'll be able to help you. You were not born of normal circumstances, like other Nobodies. Your Somebody is a Princess Of Heart. Her heart is pure, and no evil could ever possibly taint her. Her heart's so strong. It's so, so strong… Just because she feels she's weak doesn't make it so. Just because I felt helpless doesn't make it so. Just because you feel – yes, _feel_ – alone… doesn't make it so. Because she's so strong. I'm reliable. And you are _not alone._

"Organisation XIII was keeping you for a reason. One terrible, terrible reason. The fact that you weren't born like other Nobodies makes you a valuable asset, like I was. Where as I can change the memories of the Keyblade Master and those around him, you are capable of something far more sinister. Two Nobodies, born of one heart. One embodies her Somebody's goodness, and the other embodies what she could never, ever be – malevolence."

Xion took a few steps back as Naminé turned to look at her. Her stomach was twisted in knots, "I'm not evil."

"Yet you fight for Organisation XIII and all its empty promises. You capture hearts in the hopes of becoming whole."

"Against my _will! _Just like _you, _Naminé. Just like _you._"

Seemingly unfazed by the obvious attack, the girl simply smiled, "Just like me, yes. What a… _coincidence._"

Fed up with her topsy-turvy talks, Xion growled angrily and hurriedly summoned a dark portal. The purple energy twisted from her hand, and from the gateway. Swiftly turning on her heels, she began to move into the portal, feeling the darkness swallow her. She didn't care where it took her (well, maybe she did – anywhere but The World That Never Was would be grand), as long as it got her away from this insane child.

"Capturer Of Hearts, you hide in the shadows of the rising sun. There will be a time when you eclipse the light, and the worlds will be at your feet. Those hours of heart harvesting will be your last. Maybe she can help you stop it."

She had turned around all too late. Xion could no longer see Naminé.

* * *

With a heavy thud, she fell to her knees and grasped the dirt under her hands. Gasping for air, Xion lifted her head and hurriedly looked around. Whatever world she had ended up on… it was empty and eerie. A cold, metallic disposition enshrouded the area, and the feeling she got from the location briefly reminded her of the World That Never Was. She could hear the sound of waves far, far away, and that brought a little comfort. Just a little.

Standing to her feet, she saw a giant, dark city looming overhead. Deciding that this would be a good place to hide from Axel and the others, she brushed herself off, pulled her hood over her head, and dashed towards the entrance. The wind howled all around her as she moved, causing her cloak to billow this way and that. Focusing on her survival right now was the most important thing. She couldn't let Naminé's words get to her. They were unimportant, right?

…Right?

Trying to brush such doubts aside, Number XIV hurried on, now passing through the entrance. Just like the outside, this place was desolate and lifeless. No one would think about coming here to find her. Cars were strewn everywhere, doors wide open and the general bulk of the vehicle, wrecked. Buildings were either standing alone, or in pieces on the ground. Clearly, no one had been living in this large city for a while. The perfect hiding place in… What was this place called?

She passed a poster that had been effortlessly branded next to a broken window. Her eyes scanned inside the building, noting that the place was a bar, before diverting her gaze to the poster before her. She bit her lip and moved on after reading it, hoping to bury herself further and further into the steely wonderland.

'_Doom for Midgar.'_

* * *

"Kneel."

Axel obeyed immediately. The tone of the Superior's voice was ice cold. He was trying to feign a calm demeanour, and was failing miserably. Number VIII could see that quite clearly. He knew he was in a world of trouble already, and he didn't want to disobey to make the matter worse. He just wondered what lesser Nobody he would be turned into.

It'd be quite mocking if he was turned into an Assassin Nobody.

"Explain yourself," Xemnas spat, tapping his fingers on his white armrest, one after the other.

He scratched the back of his head and cleared his throat, "Well… I was fighting, and so was everyone else. And in that time, she slipped away. I combed over Twilight Town at least six or seven times, and I didn't find her. Xion's just… gone. Even the others were helping, we just _couldn't _find her."

His yellow eyes narrowed dangerously, in the likeness of a cat, "She has escaped _your _clutches, Number VIII. _You _were assigned to take care of her, no matter _what. _I don't care if you were fighting a _behemoth, _she was _not _to escape. I do not tolerate failures, Axel, and what are you? Nothing but a no good failure! You're not exactly a very good guardian, are you?"

He looked down, smirking ever so slightly, "I guess I'm only programmed to kill."

Number I said nothing for a moment, looking down on his subject in a bored fashion. Eventually, he spoke and shuffled about in his seat, "I am a patient person, Number VIII. I want Xion returned to the Castle That Never Was as soon as possible, and I want her to be _alive. _Don't allow your assassin nature to override your assigned task."

Axel nodded stiffly, "Of course."

Xemnas looked to his right, where empty seats resided, "Do not bother coming back without her. You may rise."

The Flurry Of Dancing Flames jumped to his feet and watched as the man sitting overhead flicked one of his hands in dismissal. Turning away, he opened the door, closed it behind him, and stormed down the long corridor. That damn Xion…

He didn't get very far in his brooding. His best friend suddenly appeared beside him and tugged at his sleeve, "Hey, Axel, what did Xemnas have to say? You're not in huge trouble are you? Or is he giving you an hour to pick the type of Nobody you want to be transformed into? Haha, I'm just kidding, I'm just kidding with you!"

"And I'm not laughing, Roxas."

Number XIII cleared his throat and stopped as his friend stopped, "What did he say?"

"I have to go and retrieve the… 'lost property'. I'm not allowed back until I do."

"Woah, for real?" he exclaimed, "You're not allowed to come back to the Castle That Never Was until you have Xion?"

"Yeah. To be honest, I don't know if I'll find her. I mean… Look…" Jade eyes gazed out the small window and into the field of stars, ignoring the moonlight that was basking the pair in an eerie glow, "There are so many worlds out there. She could be at any of them. I'm not going to be able to cover all of them on my own so easily. This is gonna be hard."

He patted his friend on the shoulder, despite the difficulty due to the height difference, "I'll help you look. Every mission I go on, I'll keep a special eye out for Xion. I'll tell Dem to do the same. It'd be easier for all of us to go with you but hey, if the Superior said that _you _had to do it, then _you _have to do it, on your own. We'll just be your extra… eyes."

"Thanks, Rox. That's a real help."

"Any time. Now get going. The sooner you find her, the better, right?"

"Right."

Swiftly, Number VIII summoned a dark portal. This one would lead to Twilight Town, which is where he decided to commence his search. He looked to his friend one last time with a wry smile and stepped through, bracing himself for the new environment. And wherever in Twilight Town he landed, he hoped Xion was there, and that she was okay. She might be a hassle and all but, he considered her (somewhat) a friend too.

The last of Axel's black cloak trailed through the portal, and within an instant, it had dissipated. The Key Of Destiny smiled a little and looked down for a moment to regain his composure. He managed to successfully hide his concern before Demyx bounded in, proclaiming that Xigbar and Luxord wouldn't stop harassing him about the fact that his sitar vaguely looked like something phallic.

* * *

"Okay, if I were a lost little girl, where would I hide…"

He tapped his chin with his glove-clad fingers, pacing around a small room. From what he had gathered within the last few moments, this appeared to be some type of club, or hideout. there were books and boxes stacked and scattered in the area, and a crimson, tattered cloth hung at an obvious opening, as though to disguise the location from the outside world.

Axel suddenly jumped and cradled his foot, lightly cursing under his breath. He had stepped on the pointy-end of a dart. Angrily, he picked it up and burnt it in his hand, watching the item turn to ashes. Before becoming a Nobody, he enjoyed throwing darts, but now, he didn't really care. And _this _particular dart was menacing. Or rather, _was _menacing.

A male voice suddenly sounded, "The others will have _no idea _what happened to their stupid Usual Spot!"

Then another, "Maybe we should take their valuables, y'know?"

Then a female, who was shaking a spray can, "Payback."

And lastly, a young nervous boy, "Are you sure about this?"

He quirked an eyebrow. It seemed that the four approaching were going to do something to this place. Judging by the spray can that he could hear, perhaps they were going to… vandalise it? He briefly wondered why, playing with an ember between his fingers, making it bounce back and forth amongst his hand.

The cloth was pushed forward, and four children stumbled through. One had blonde hair, and a nasty scar across his face. In his hand was an odd item, being held by its gold hilt, though the blue beyond that made it apparent that the item was a bat. Beside him was a large, muscly boy, holding a sack over his shoulder. Beside him was a girl with grey hair, holding two spray cans. Lastly, there was a much smaller boy, his face overshadowed by his large hat. He too was holding two spray cans.

The first boy noticed Axel, and ordered the rest of his troupe to stop. He took a step forward and eyed the man up and down, his aqua eyes narrowed. Soon enough, the bat was pointed directly at him, "And just who are you? What are you doing here?"

Number VIII said nothing, his eyes darting amongst the four of them slowly. He could feel the ember still bouncing between his fingers. He noticed that the smallest child was watching that closely, an endless content evident in his yellow eyes. Looking back to the obvious leader of the group, he remarked, "Who wants to know?"

The buff boy growled, punching his fists together, "Seifer doesn't like it when someone's being super defiant, y'know?"

"What are you, his parrot?" Axel asked, "I asked him, not you."

"You're really getting on my nerves, y'know?!"

The girl spoke, "Silence!"

"Thanks, Fuu," the boy called Seifer remarked. He looked back to the intruder, "Now, you. Tell me your name."

"I don't have time for child's play," the Flurry Of Dancing Flames remarked, clenching his fist. The embers fizzled out immediately, much to the disappointment of the smallest in the room, though he still watched the smoke rise from his fist intently. Swiftly, he stepped past the four of them, his cloak trailing behind him, "If you really wanna vandalise this spot, then I'm not going to keep you. It's not my business anyway."

Now outside, he looked around and picked a path to go down. Choosing the left one, he walked.

* * *

Somehow, during her wandering, Xion had ended up in a church. She looked at the flowers in the ground idly. It Marluxia were alive (not that she'd care), he would've enjoyed these. Their smell was enticing and relaxing, and they brought some happiness and life in the otherwise glum slums.

She had not seen _anyone _in this lonesome world. Not a single soul. That in itself was a little unsettling. Where were all the people? Midgar once seemed to be thriving with life, however dull it may have been. The fact that the entire place was empty was not comforting. She felt even more alone now than when she was held prisoner in the Castle That Never Was. At least there, she knew she was guaranteed food and safety. Here, she was not so sure.

Pulling her legs closer to her chest, she remained seated on one of the unbroken brown benches. How long would she have to wait here for? When would Axel and the rest of the Organisation stop looking for her? Why was she that… vital to their little 'plan'? What was her part in the story in the first place? Just another arm to hold the hearts? Another weapon to pierce their opponents?

…What did Naminé mean by her last sentence? Number XIV didn't want to admit it but the witch was wise. Or at least, she seemed wise. Should she listen to her words? What else was Xion going to do aside from run from Organisation XIII? Should she seek out her Somebody? She always wondered who she was. She always wanted to find out. She wanted to have the memories that the others had. More than anything.

Who were her Somebody's friends? A boy with a charismatic smile? A boy with long silver hair? Did they fight with wooden swords and proclaim that one was better than the other? Were they trapped upon an island and wanted to build a raft to sail away and find other worlds? Did they have other friends who liked to play ball, who liked to skip, and who also liked to spar with them?

Maybe she should go find her Somebody. Maybe her Somebody has all the answers.

The soft, pitter-patter of footsteps garnered her attention. Xion held her breath and curled into a ball, peering over the top of the seat. She could see a flame idly moving through the air. It was hypnotising at first, but once she realised that it was _fire, _she panicked, thinking that it was Axel. Axel controlled fire. He _loved _to play with it when he was bored.

Summoning her keyblade quickly, she leapt from the seat and stood guard. To her surprise, though, it was not some fiery, obnoxious Nobody, but rather a furry, tall creature, which looked somewhat like a dog. It was large, and appeared fierce. She noticed tattoos on his red fur, including a black 'XIII' on his left shoulder. The fire that Xion had seen was coming from the end of its tail – quite a unique asset.

"So Midgar breeds life once more," the creature rumbled. The voice was male. His one, amber eye observed the edgy woman.

The fact that the beast spoke worried her more. Xion tightened her grip on her keyblade, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Relax," he said, chuckling slightly. He approached her, "I bid you no harm. Just put the weapon down."

She held onto her keyblade, though lowered it. If the beast would not attack her, then she would not attack him. Despite this, for every step he took forward, she took one back. She furrowed her eyebrows, "I am Xion of Organisation XIII. Speak your name or leave me be."

"Nanaki," he answered, bowing his head slightly for a brief moment, "Also known as Red XIII. I am all that is left."

He stopped moving. Xion took this opportunity to seat herself once more. Eventually, her keyblade vanished, "What happened to Midgar? It looked like this place was once so… alive. And now it is dead, withered and gone."

Red XIII looked to the flowers, "The Heartless came. They swarmed over this world and destroyed everything within it. I was hiding deep underground at the time, and I did not notice their approach. A few managed to escape to another place called Radiant Garden. I do hope they are alright, as most of them were my friends. They were also the heroes of Midgar."

She nodded slightly, "Are the Heartless still here?"

"As a matter of fact, they are," he remarked sadly, "I saw you appear. I was looking around outside from the Shinra Building, and saw you just… appear out of no where. This world is dead. Just a blanked out star in the vast sky. To see life aside from myself is wonderful, because with another person, we now may be able to fight off the Heartless. There are not many of them left – a lot of them died bringing down the WEAPONs. But they're still here and there. Will you help me?"

"Only if you will help hide me. I am a fugitive."

Red XIII nodded, "You have selected a good place to hide. I doubt your chasers would look here."

She smiled slightly.

"Now, let's get to work. Let's find and eradicate these fiends," he stepped aside so Xion could stand.

As she did, she looked to the entrance of the church and immediately summoned her keyblade, "It looks like they've found us instead."


End file.
